


A Mudblood at Hogwarts

by mechanonymouse



Series: Hogwarts AUs [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Fantastic residential schooling, Gen, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Kidnapping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-10
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-02-16 21:26:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2285010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mechanonymouse/pseuds/mechanonymouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's September '91 and Slytherin's Law has kicked in for Hermione Granger and Harry Potter first year students at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Before Hogwarts

Edward Granger was a very typical English man. Like his father before him, he firmly believed that his home was his castle. The intrusion of his daughter Hermione brought chaos to his ordered life and home.

Even once she had finished disrupting her mother's practice she wasn't a normal child. From the day she started nursery Hermione disrupted his life atypically and unacceptably. Edward believed that children should be seen and not heard. He did not believe that every teacher Hermione had should find it necessary to call Lucy and him in to meet with them. He found it unacceptable that his daughter should be either incapable or unwilling to develop friendships with children her own age.

The only thing Edward felt could be said for the child was at least she was now quiet about her more offensive abnormalities. As an infant that disorder had broken her mother's heart and nerves. If those people hadn't been so secretive he would have got rid of the child back then when they gave her back.

The ginger truce that made life bearable at the Granger’s was broken on 1st June. Breakfast was disturbed by a massive owl flying through their window and dropping a letter on Hermione's plate. The child immediately paled and began babbling apologies and promises at that she hadn't done anything freakish. Lucy left the table shaking.

"Well, open it. Let us find put what you've done this time." Edward ground out.

With shaking hands she pulled the letter open and quickly scanned the contents. “It’s a summons to be examined. One of them will be here a 9 o’clock to collect me.”

Edward breathed a sigh of relief when her adoption had fallen through one of those people had told them that she would examined at 10 or 11 and they would never have to see her again. "Go get dressed." Edward ordered cheerfully. The girl stared at him shocked to see such an attitude directed at her until he enforced the order with the back of his hand.

Hermione reached the top of the stairs holding a small bag of essentials she thought her father would let her take with her as the door bell rang. Edward Granger yanked the door open and scowled out at the motherly woman standing on the door step.

“Good morning, Mr Granger.” The woman said in a warm tone. “I’m Madame Entwhistle. I’m here to take your daughter to her selection exam. It’s-“

“We know what it’s for.” Edward growled. “You’ve excepted the brat into one of your schools. It doesn’t matter which; the misbegotten runt’s your responsibility now.” He turned aside to bellow at Hermione letting her see Madame Entwhistle’s shocked face. “Get! I want you out this house!”

Hermione ran down the stairs as fast as she dared but Edward didn’t seem to think she was fast enough, grabbing her arm and throwing her bodily from the house. The door slammed behind her and Madame Entwhistle’s white face looked down at her.

“Sorry, ma’am.” Hermione apologised pulling herself to her feet and picking up the bag.

“Oh my-“ Madame Entwhistle’s discomfort showed despite her efforts and she quickly changed her sentence. “Look at the time. We’re going to be late for your exam.” She wrapped one strong hand tightly around Hermione’s upper arm and pointed her wand at a brass button.

After a moment in a sickening multicoloured twister they were standing in front of an ornate Tudor building. Madame Entwhistle kept her grip of Hermione’s arm and walked quickly through the building to a grand hall laid out as an exam room. Her heels clacked against the floorboards as she stalked through the room looking for Hermione’s name. She came to abrupt stop and turned around. “Put your bag down under the table. I will come and take you to the Boarding House after your exam.”

Hermione nodded sitting in the indicated chair and wondering what Madame Entwhistle had meant by the Boarding House. Madame Entwhistle left as quickly as she had entered without a backward glance.

Sighing to herself Hermione picked up the feathered quill on her desk, she boggled at the sight of it but noted the parchment of her previous correspondence with this world. In neat round letters she began filling her name, date of birth and parents out on each of the five bound parchment booklets on her desk. 

It took a long time for the hall to fill and for stern women to come to the front to call order. One of the women picked up a pile of parchment scrolls with clacking heels she walked up and down the rows of desks placing two scrolls in on each desk as the other woman cleared her throat.

“As you know this is an important day.” The woman still at the front began. Her voice was shrill and rapid. “Today all muggle raised children from the England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales due to enter schooling in September of this year must sit their Basic Aptitude Tests.

“All of you sitting in this room already have a guaranteed place at your national school but the result of the tests you sit today will decide whether you will be one of the lucky few to get a place at either the prestigious Ogma Scoil na Draíochta agus Luibheanna, or Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” The woman said. “There are three exams, each of the exams will take three hours and are worth seven points, we will take breaks no longer than 15 minutes between papers to collect papers. At no point during the examination period are you permitted to speak. You will receive an owl on the 1st July with your individual and total BAT scores and into which school you have been placed.” 

The woman at the front waited until the other woman joined her before lifting a large brass hourglass. She said, “You have until the sand runs out to complete the scrolls entitled Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. We will then take a break of no more than 15 minutes before handing out the special pens you will need to complete you Genealogy paper. We will break again to collect your exams before beginning you General Knowledge paper. Does anyone have any questions?” The sound of nervous breathing echoed through the room but no one raised their hand. “Then we shall begin.” And she turned the hour glass returning it to the table with a thump that made grains of sand tumble down.

It was a relief for Hermione to quiet her raging thoughts and worries about what would happen to her by losing herself in the papers.

The first paper, for despite the three separate booklets and two scrolls it clearly stated the it was one combined test of basic reading, writing and arithmetic, was no worse than her elven plus. The Arithmetic paper was easy with thankfully no need for the log tables she had started using this year and the reading was no worse than her eleven plus had been but the essay question for writing was unusual. ‘What are the most important things the Ministry must consider when contacting Muggleborns? Make reference to the Statute of Secrecy and Muggleborn Protection Act’ it asked. 

Hermione raised her head and stared at the hourglass. The Statute of Secrecy was obviously a law that prevented wizards from revelling their magic but she doubted most of the people here would have even heard of the Muggleborn Protection Act let alone what it was, she only vaguely remembered mentions of it when her incidents of freakish behaviour called a member the Improper Use of Magic Office out and her parents tried yet again to give her back. A third of the sand remained in the hour glass, absently she doodled around the words ‘exposure’ and ‘duty of care’. Shaking her head and dropping her eyes back to the parchment she began to quickly draft her argument.

With the first test done there was a pause for the papers to be collected, new parchment and the special quills placed on their desks. The pause wasn’t silent filled with the clack of the women’s shoes, fidgeting children and the soft clatter of scrolls being placed on desks.

When both women had returned to the front of the cavernous hall the same woman as before picked up the hourglass and turned it, “Begin.” She said.

Opening the scroll Hermione looked at the neat boxes she was obviously supposed to fill in and wondered what the point of family tree was and how she was to spend three hours filling one out. Putting the point of quill on the parchment she began to fill in the first box find herself unable to continue with her name until she provided her middle name. As the boxes filled it became easier names of relatives she was sure she had never heard of flowing onto the scroll with no sense of the passage of time or thought for her cramping hand.

It was a surprise to be interrupted by a bell and one of the woman yelling, “Stop.”

Quills clattered on to desks at her command and the two women stalked around the room one placing new booklets and scrolls on their desks, the other collecting the special scrolls and scrolls.

“Begin,” the hourglass turned again and there was a rustle as booklets opened and scrolls unwound.

The last paper was in many ways the least strange of all, it was concerned with Merlin, unicorns and dragons. With some deductive and inductive logic Hermione felt she had correctly answered all the questions.

Her stomach was growling as the bell rang again and the women stalked the rows for a final time. Only when every paper and quill was collected did they let them leave the room.

Hermione was tired, hungry and her wrist cramped from writing so much with an unfamiliar implements without the distraction of exams she was worrying about what would happen to her again as she shivered, her too thin blouse no match for the bitterly cold wind now the sun had set, in the foyer waiting for Madame Entwhistle to stride up to her.

She was the last person still there when Madame Entwhistle finally arrived. "I've arranged a place for you to stay." she said walking up to Hermione. "Take my hand and make sure you don't let go."

The moment Hermione took her cold clammy hand a crushing sensation enveloped her ripping the building from her site. When she could see again a worn Victorian terrace was in front of her. Madame Entwhistle marched up the stairs and knocked on the faded blue door.

The woman who opened it looked kind but firm. She ignored Madam Entwhistle to talk Hermione. "Hello Miss Granger. You are our first new resident of the year and will be staying the nursery until your eleventh birthday.

"The Ministry pays a stipend of 2 galleons a year to your guardian. I take 1 galleon board and hold your remaining galleon for you until you turn 15.

"You need to make that money stretch to school uniform and books as well as normal clothes." She took a look at Hermione's small backpack. "I bet you don't have a change if clothes in there."

"No, ma'am," Hermione said.

"My name is Mistress Mallory," She replied. “Come along we'll break into my emergency stash."

The hand that held Hermione's was warm and firm this time. She gently pulled her into a warm house. All the furniture was old but well cared for and clean. They went into an office with an amour in the corner. Mistress Mallory opened the door and pulled out second hand dresses. She held them against Hermione until she thought two would fit then started pulling out cardigans the same size and blouses.

With just two dresses, a blouse and two cardigans Hermione felt spoilt for choice and more cared for than she had ever been before. Satisfied Mistress Mallory lead her up to the top floor and a large attic room filled with beds and shelves. She pointed Hermione to one nestled under the sloping ceiling. "This will be your bed. You have to keep your area clean and do your assigned chores. Breakfast is at 7am, lunch at half twelve and dinner at 6pm. I don't allow fighting." She caught Hermione in a quick impersonal embrace. "I'll leave you to get unpacked.

Hermione quickly settled into the routine at Mistress Mallory’s. She was the youngest border there and the only one without any magical education which immediately set her apart. Normally Miss Mallory explained borders came young and were snatched up by magical families or after their first year at school. The ostracisation only got worse when on 1st July her Hogwarts letter arrived. 

That morning Mistress Mallory took her through the winding streets of Ottery St Catchpole to Edgecomb’s Emporium to buy what they could of her Hogwarts supplies. The bulk of which Mistress Mallory explained would have to come from The Alleys.

Edgecomb’s Emporium was located in an outbuilding of a chaotic farm yard; chickens ran freely under foot, an old collie lounged under a ramshackle cart on top of which two identical freckly red haired teenage boys lounged their worn robes draped over the sturdier looking wheel and trousers rolled up to their knees. The outhouse roof dipped alarmingly in the middle, the windows had no glass only wooden shutters open in the bright summers day. The building was packed to the rafters with what seemed to be disordered piles of everything and anything in between which there were three more red heads, one a plump middle aged woman who looked like the mother of the other four, and a waif like blonde. 

“Hogwarts?” The woman asked Mistress Mallory.

“Yes, Hermione made it.” Mistress Mallory replied. “Are your youngest two off this year ,Molly?”

“Yes, I’m so proud of them.” Molly said. She caught the two children tight to her. “I’m Molly Weasley, we live over in the Burrow. These are my youngest boy Ron, our only girl Ginny and our neighbour Luna Lovegood. They’ll be joining you at Hogwarts this year.”

“Pleased to meet you ma’am” Hermione said politely. “I’m Hermione Granger.”

“Why don’t you four go outside with Fred and George until Mr Edgecomb comes back with the wands?” Mrs Weasley said. 

Ron grabbed her hand and dragged her out before she could comment. “They’ll be talking adult stuff and complaining about the cost of robes and things.”

“Mistress Mallory is your guardian. It’s her responsibility to worry about adult things for now.” Luna said dreamily.

“They’ll come and get us when Mr Edgecomb comes back.” Ginny cut in.

“I wish we could have new wands.” Ron gripped.

“I’ve read they work much better than second hand wands.” Hermione added.

“But second hand wands don’t cost 7 Galleons.” Luna moaned plopping herself down on one cart.

“Edgecomb’s has the best selection of second hand wands in Britain.” One of the two older boys said draping himself over Hermione and Ron.

“Never fear.” The other one said draping himself over Ginny and Luna. “You’ll match a wand and be rivalling your brother in pranking.”

“In you come, dears.” Mrs Weasley yelled from the door triggering a stampede as Fred and George joined them.

Mr Edgecomb had laid out a spread of wands across the counter on warm supple leather. “Pick up each one in turn give it to me if it reacts. We’ll chose the best match.”

“Ron you’re the oldest you go first.” Mrs Weasley nodded to him. 

He walked up to the table and gave the first wand a hesitant wave drooping slightly when nothing happened. It took five wands for one to react to him shooting light green sparks. “Ash and dragon heartstring not quite try again.” Mr Edgecomb told him. Ron went through another six wands before picking up an elegantly twisted wand and causing flowers to rain down over Ginny, Luna and Hermione. “Ash and Coral, 13 inches. That’s a very good match. Who’s next?”

Mrs Weasley nodded at Ginny who giggled and ran up to the counter. The first wand she picked up caused a down pour of water. “I don’t think we’ll find a better match than that. Hazel and Kelpie Mane. Only seven inches good for a growing sprout. Next it’s?”

Mistress Mallory pushed Hermione lightly forward. The first wand she touched set fire to Mr Edgecomb’s beard, the second made a massive bang that made the piles of stuff rock and the third and fourth did nothing at all. “When were you born child?” Mr Edgecomb asked

“19th September 1980, sir.” Hermione said worried. He hadn’t needed to ask any questions for Ginny or Ron.

“By the Celtic calendar vine or bramble. Bramble wands are extremely rare but these are my vine wood wands.” He pushed six wands forward. “Try those as you were.” None of them were brilliant matches but nothing exploded when Hermione touched them. “This one seems to be the best I can do for you young lady.” Mr Edgecomb said handing her a plain light wand. “10½ inches Vine wood with a Unicorn tail hair. If you come back next year with that wand in good condition I’ll swap you for a better match. Last but definitely not least up you come Luna.”

Luna stepped up last grasping the first wand firmly and seeming not to care at all when nothing happened. She blinked slightly when the third she picked up made a sound like a car back firing and quickly put it down. The fifth wand she picked up cast a stream of silver sparks and made her smile. “This one please.”

“A good choice Miss Lovegood. That is 16 inches of Willow and Unicorn hair. Perfect for a moon child.” Mr Edgecomb smiled and tucked Luna’s wild curls behind her ear. “I think that’s everyone. That will be a galleon for each wand. Please.” Mrs Weasley handed over some robes as well before fishing out five gold galleons, three silver sickles and ten bronze knuts from her enormous hand bag. 

Mistress Mallory passed over a galleon, 12 sickles and 13 knuts. “I’ll be in tomorrow with the rest of my lot for their St James stuff.”

Mrs Weasley said suddenly, “You four come here I’ll teach you your first two charms. Hold your wands and then turn a tight circle around the top of your heads and slash down.” She demonstrated with her own. “The incantation is esse elegans, Es-ay Le-gan” They copied her feeling their heads tingle looking around they could see their hair looked neat, clean and more controlled. “And the one you’ll find more interesting needs a sharp poke,” Mrs Weasley thrust her wand violently forward, “the incantation is Ffwrdd, Foo-rth. Try it on that rack” She turned them towards a rack of heavy winter cloaks that thumped satisfactorily against the wall when they copied her. “It’s an easy knock back spell. If you ever need to get away from someone, cast it. Don’t let me hear of you using it inappropriately.”

Mrs Weasley smiled. “I’ll pick you up on Monday, Hermione, to go to the Alleys. It was nice to meet you. “


	2. Starting Hogwarts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is unbeta'd and I have come to the decision not to try and find a beta for this until it is complete as at the time of writing I am half a chapter into third year and at 41k words. The result is this should be seen as daft as I am likely to go back and clean up any mistakes once I've finished writing fourth year and this half of the series. As you possibly noticed with the change to the tags.

After her successful trip to the Alleys with the Weasleys and Luna, Mistress Mallory sent her scurrying across Ottery St Catchpole to the Burrow most days after her chores. Hermione had spent warm summer days dangling her toes in the stream that ran behind the Rookery, Luna’s father’s house, while Ron and Luna fished and brisk mornings helping with the chickens. She had laughed as the twins tickled her and learnt when they were planning something. Spent the balmy summer evenings sharing Bill’s old runes books with Ginny while Luna and Ron crawled through the tall grasses following Gnomes and Kneazles. She couldn’t remember ever being so happy and for the first time in her life she was sadden by the inevitable approach of school.

Mrs Weasley made the best of it she could having Luna and Hermione stay the night and encouraging the cheerful organised chaos of leaving. She laughed as the twins tried to teach them the School song letting Luna and Ron’s voices ring out through the crowded muggle station, “Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty, Hogwarts,” catching the attention of a small black haired boy with a beautiful snowy owl.

“Excuse me,” He asked coming up to them, “Are you… I mean…”

“Hogwarts dear?” Mrs Weasley asked. He nodded emphatically and her face broke in to one of her welcoming motherly smiles. “These four will be first years too. Just stand between Ron and Ginny.” She tucked him in between them, “You go first Percy.” Percy walked quickly up to the wall. The boy blinked and rubbed his eyes. “You five next. It will be fine just keep up with Ron dear.”

He fell a little behind but he was soon staring at platform nine and three quarters. Ron dragged him out of the way before the twins and Mrs Weasley could knock in to him and he shook himself out of his daze. “Thank you.” He said and pulled his trunk on to the train.

Mrs Weasley nudged Percy, “Help him with his trunk dear. Fred, George, get yours on board and then help Ron, Ginny, Luna and Hermione.” She said beginning to look damp eyed. The twins disappeared into the scarlet train leaving them with Mrs Weasley. For once she didn’t try to fill the silence with any words just ran her hands periodically over their heads her eyes damp and smile slightly crooked.

It looked like she would really break down as the twins came back her smile quivering awfully. Ron looked up at her and threw his arms around her, “We love you mum. I’ll look out for the girls. Don’t worry.”

“Oh,” Her face broke into a true smile, “I’m so proud of all of you. My children.” She cupped his face, “Thank you Ronnie. Go on you’ll miss your train.”

They helped pulled the heavy trunks on to the train and followed Fred and George through the train until they got to a compartment with just the small black haired boy.

 

* * *

 

“Can we sit here?” Ginny asked, “Everywhere else is too full for four more.”

“Sure” The boy said putting his book away.

“I’m Ron, Ron Weasley,” Ron said holding out his hand, “These are my little sister Ginny and our friends Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger.”

“I’m Harry Potter.” The boy said as they all sat down.

“Really?” Ron asked excitedly, “Do you have the scar?”

“Ron!” Ginny, Luna and Hermione all reached over to punch him. “Don’t be rude.”

The boy smiled slightly and pushed his messy fringe up. “I guess you all grew up together?” He said with slight longing.

“Gin, me and Luna yeah.” Ron answered, “Hermione only moved to our town this summer.

“Is is true that you grew up with goblins?” Luna asked in the dreamy voice she only used when she was trying to wind someone up.

“Lu!” Ginny blushed bright red and pressed into Hermione’s shoulder.

“Is that what the books say?” Hermione asked smiling down at Ginny’s head..

“Ask Ginny,” Ron and Luna both answered giggling.

“I was seven.” Ginny retorted sitting back up her face still bright red. “Where did you really grow up?”

“With my muggle aunt and uncle. They don’t like magic much.” Harry said grimacing.

“Neither do Hermione’s parents.” Luna said. “The beauty of Slytherin’s Law is no muggleborn or muggle raised child returns to their muggle guardians after they start school.”

“Slytherin’s Law” Harry asked.

“The Muggleborn Protection Act.” Hermione said. “Although it also covers muggle raised children. It isn’t really wide reaching enough to be called a Protection Act. It’s more concerned with the Statute of Secrecy.”

“Did you get to read about the houses?” Ron asked changing the subject as Ginny slipped her hand in to Hermione’s.

“Just that there are four named after the Founders.” Harry answered. “And that they accept students with different traits. I don’t know which one I’ll be in.”

“Our parents and all our brothers were in Gryffindor.” Ron said, “We probably will be as well.”

“Mummy was in Ravenclaw,” Luna said blinking,her silvery eyes shimmering. “I think daddy might have been too.”

Ron asked a question about quidditch and soon they were explaining the rules to Harry and he was looking blank as Ron went off on a rant about the Quidditch League and Chudley Cannons with Ginny laughing and interjecting comments about the Harpies league position. Hermione slid one of Bill’s books out of her satchel and Luna opened a copy of the Quibbler both of them occasionally looking up and commenting when relevant.

They were a quiet happy compartment that the prefects mostly ignored until a blond boy and his two massive sidekicks arrived. “Draco Malfoy.” He said, “I heard that Harry Potter was in this compartment.”

Luna stood on Ron’s foot and Hermione placed her book over Ginny’s hand. Harry stood, “That’s me, didn’t we meet at Madam Malkins?” He asked, “You wanted to drag your father off to look at brooms?”

Draco smiled, “Yeah, father said I have to wait until second year for a new broom but he brought me a new quaffle and gloves for my birthday.”

“Cool” Harry answered, “These are Ron and Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger.”

Draco seemed to wrestle with himself for a second, “You could have done worse Potter. I hear one of the first years brought a toad and is looking for it! I better be getting back.”

“A toad. Bleurgh!” Ginny scrunched her face up, “Even Scabbers would have been better.”

“Scabbers?” Harry asked.

“Our brother Percy’s old rat. He got an owl when he made prefect and offered him to Ron.” Ginny explained.

“I didn’t want a pet if Ginny couldn’t have one too.” Ron added smiling at his sister.

“So Scabbers was retired.” Luna finished.

“But only after Percy tried to give him to Lu and me.” Hermione said. “He really wanted rid of that rat.”

The excitement over she and Luna tucked themselves back into their respective reading materials with Ginny reading over Hermione’s shoulder. Ron rolled his eyes and went back to describing the finer points of quidditch to a glaze eyed Harry.

 

* * *

 

 

The rest of the train trip passed in quietly and all to soon they were drawing up at Hogsmeade Station. The five tumbled out of the train on Percy’s orders leaving their trunks behind to the crush of the cold dark station. A deep loud voice was yelling, “First years, first years to me. Four to a boat.”

Following the voice they could see a giant of a man standing head and shoulders above even the tallest student. Harry broke into a wide grin, “That’s Hagrid, he took me to Diagon Alley.” He whispered as they made their way across to Hagrid.

“Our brothers have told us loads about him.” Ginny and Ron said in unison.

They came up to giant and he smiled down at Harry his warm black eyes crinkling, “Hi Harry,” he said, “made some friends already?” The giant lifted Harry into a boat and gently shoved Ginny, Luna and Ron on too leaving Hermione standing on the bank alone. As the boat self propelled itself across the black lake towards the castle silhouetted on the hill they could see her figure getting smaller.

The small fleet of boats met at a curtain of vines. Hagrid’s boat moved easily around them and in front of them, with one large hand he pulled back the curtain and moved across letting the smaller boats through and up to the small natural harbour revealed. The boats pulled themselves out of the water and the awestruck first years clambered out. Luna’s wide silver eyes were the only ones that looked behind scanning the crowd for Hermione. Her steps lagged and Ginny and Ron’s automatically fell in line causing Hagrid to push them gently along. “Come along.”

He crowded them together in front of a massive elaborately carved door and slammed his fist hard against it until a tall black hair woman with her hair in a severe bun opened the door. “First years Professor.” He said.

“Come along,” She stepped aside expecting them to follow her in to a small room. She stood silently at the front until they had all arrived. “I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of this school. In a short while I will lead you to be sorted in to one of the four houses. Your house will be your family while you are at Hogwarts.” She turned to leave and ran her eyes over Harry’s messy hair, Ron’s smudged nose and Crabbe and Goyle’s rumpled robes. “I suggest you make yourselves presentable.”

Ginny tugged Ron’s shoulder turning him around, “There she is.” She started pulling him over, catching Luna’s attention and making her hurry over to Hermione as well, Harry following closely behind. “Hey,” Ron rubbed his head and seemed at a loss as to what else to say.

A quick smile flashed across Hermione’s face. “It’s fine.” Then she smirked at Luna and Ginny, “Didn’t you hear Professor McGonagall?” She brandished her wand at Ron. “Esse Elegans.” Ron scowled but his hair flattened itself and smudge on his nose disappeared.

“Now you Harry.” Luna’s dreamy air made the sight of her wand in Harry’s face rather disturbing; the twin smirks on Ginny and Ron’s faces and the tingling sensation across his head didn’t help.

The girls quickly cast the spell on themselves none too soon as they were joined by four spectres. The ghost’s seemed not to have noticed the first years they glided through so consumed by their argument about something called Peeves and floated back out the room without noticing them.

 

* * *

 

 

No sooner had the ghosts departed and the first years begun to calm down than Professor McGonagall returned and brought them out to stand in alphabetical order along one wall. She put the tattered hat she had been carrying down on a stall and stood next to it with a scroll in her hands. There was a stilted pause filled with nerves from the first years and eager anticipation from the rest of the school before one of the many seams on the hat broke open and in a deep croaking voice it began to sing.

“I’m going to kill Gred and Forge.” Luna said in a very matter of fact tone just loud enough for the other first years to hear. “They tried to tell us we would have to wrestle a troll.”

“Abbot, Hannah” Professor McGonagall called out. A blonde girl ran forward and jammed the hat on her head. After a few moments it called out “Hufflepuff.”

They soon switched off until Hermione’s name was called. She walked quickly over to the stall and felt McGonagall place the hat on her head. A quieter version of the croaking voice from before filled her mind, “Interesting, interesting.” It said.

“Excuse me,” Hermione said quietly, “but where do you keep your brain?”

The hat broke out into loud chortles that echoed through Hermione’s mind and she could hear gasps from the hall, “A very clever mind, no one has asked me that for many years.” The had said. “I think you would do well in Ravenclaw.”

“If you can’t answer that question I don’t see why I should allow you on my head.” Hermione said reaching up to take the hat.

“With foolhardy bravery like that it has got to be GRYFFINDOR” The hat yelled as Hermione pulled it of.

“Mr Weasley says to never trust a magical object if you don’t know where it’s brain is.” Hermione informed the hat sternly before Professor McGonagall pushed her toward Gryffindor table.

Once she was seated between one of the twins and Percy she looked up at the rest of her year to see Luna, Harry, Ginny and Ron all laughing quietly. They directed warm smiles at her when they saw her looking. “Good girl.” Percy whispered quietly into her ear.

Smiling Hermione pressed herself against Gred and chortling with the rest when unfortunate Neville Longbottom ran off with the hat and had to run back to let Luna be sorted. Once the hat was on Luna’s head it immediately started commenting out loud, not just “Hmm interesting” but probably arguing with her.

“I can’t sort you somewhere you don’t belong.” It said.

Luna’s clear voice rang out, “I want to be with my friends, with my family. What’s the point of a House if it breaks up a family?”

“If you’re sure…” The hat sounded almost unsure, “It had better be Gryffindor.”

Smiling Luna skipped across to join Hermione. “Weasley’s are always Gryffindors” She said firmly.

A pretty pair of twins were sorted into Ravenclaw and a pug nosed girl into Slytherin before Harry’s name was called. As with Luna and Hermione he seemed to have to argue with the hat before it finally called “Gryffindor” and he stumbled over to the table.

Hermione and Luna separated to let him slip in between them as the twins crowed “We got Potter!”

After Hermione, Harry and Luna’s sortings the speed and ease with which Ginny and Ron joined Gryffindor seem rather anticlimactic and Dumbledore’s opening words left them convinced he was barmy.

The food once served was as good as anything Mrs Weasley cooked and put the meals at Mistress Mallory’s Boarding House to shame. Harry seemed ravenous filling his plate high not just with potatoes, chicken, lamb, and pork like Ron but is carrots, sprouts, the boiled cauliflower no-one else was eating and spinach.

The conversation between the new first years quickly fell to families, first magic, and why Hogwarts.

“I’m half and half,” said Seamus. “Me dad’s a Muggle. Mam didn’t tell him she was a witch ’til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him. I was born in London so I’m no allowed at St Patricks. Me mam was hoping for Ogma Scoil when I got me marks but I got Hogwarts.”

The others laughed.

“What about you Neville?” asked Ron.

“Well, I’m a Longbottom we’ve got a hereditary place.” Neville said shrugging and looking down. “My gran brought me up and she’s a witch but they thought I was all Muggle for ages. My great-uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me - he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned - but nothing happened until I was eight.” Harry could feel a warm firm weight pressed very hard against his right side. When he looked at Luna she was very pale and her eyes were suspiciously shiny. He nudged her and tried to smile comfortingly. “Great-uncle Algie came round for tea and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my great-auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced.” Neville grinned, “Great-uncle Algie was so proud he brought me my toad.”

Seamus turned to the boy on the his left and asked, “What about you Dean?”

“My mum’s a Muggle.” He said, “ I didn’t even know what I was being examined for at my BATs or what getting Hogwarts meant other than being expensive. My mum’s never had a problem with our magic but we never bounced or anything like that. What about you Ron?”

“Ginny and my parents are magical as are our siblings. We don’t have a hereditary place so we tested in. Unless you or Seamus have a September birthday I’m the oldest in the year and Ginny would be the youngest but Hermione and Luna made the grade.”

“How does that work?” Seamus asked beating Dean.

“I was born 11 August 1980 and Ron was born 1 October 1979. 11 months between us and the same year.” Ginny grinned like she had explained this before and really didn’t care what they thought.

Luna jumped in, “My parents are magical. I took my BAT early because Ginny and Ron were going and I didn’t want to be left behind.”

“Hermione why are you early?” Seamus asked.

“I got my summons for examination. When it came I didn’t know it was early.” Hermione said, “My parents are Muggles. I don’t remember the first time I did magic, my father says my accidental magic caused my mother’s nervous break down.” She shrugged, “What classes are you looking forward to?”


	3. A Stone Capable of Making Any Metal into Gold

The first week was a happy tiring blur. Harry seemed to be firmly enmeshed in their group. He gripped about his height, which was fair and his muggle clothes didn’t make it any easier being sized for some one at least four sizes bigger than him. Ron had already after one embarrassing evening gone through his trunk and dumped his already too small clothes on Harry’s bed with a mumbled, “They’ll fit you better than me. Mum thinks I’m gonna have another growth spurt soon.” Directed somewhere above Harry’s head.

He was the shortest boy in their year and smaller than most of the girls. When his great snowy owl, Hedwig, perched on his shoulder at breakfast he looked impossibly tiny. She arrived every morning even though she never had post for him. With his permission both Ginny and Luna had used her to send letters back to their parents, receiving prompt replies and a delighted owl.

Then there were classes. At midnight on Wednesday they had practical astronomy lessons, which left them drowsing through first class on Thursday. Exactly how the names of different stars was relevant to their other classes was a mystery but at least their potions text explain how the movements of the planets effected when a potion could be brewed and the potency of ingredients. Herbology, three times a week with Professor Sprout the head of Hufflepuff was far more obvious. The plants and fungi they tended were both obviously magical and in many cases had a range of uses from tasting good in food but not to be served to muggles to being needed for life saving potions.

History of Magic was one of the subjects Harry had been most looking forward to, so he was disappointed that it was as boring as Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna had predicted. Taught by their only ghost teacher, Professor Binns, it condensed the fascinating textbook down to a series of facts about Goblin Rebellions delivered in a droning monotone. Binns’ sole positive was that he didn’t notice if you slept through his lectures, did your homework, or read a more interesting book like Hogwarts, a History.

In Charms they learnt that sitting next to Seamus was a bad idea.His first attempt at any spell tended to end in fire even when it was summoning water. Nor was Hermione a good choice, she always had the theory down but her poorly matched wand made life interesting. She put the fire Seamus had just started out when she flooded they room but that didn’t make them any warmer. Excitable Professor Flitwick seemed to enjoy the constant state of chaos that reigned in his classroom.

Transfiguration was taught by their head of house, Professor McGonagall. She started their lesson by changing her desk into a pig and back again but they were focusing on changing a matchstick into a needle. By the end of the class only Harry and Ginny had made any change to their needle but Professor McGonagall didn’t seem to worried, telling them, “The first one of every class of transfiguration is always the hardest and takes the longest to achieve.” She set them homework that didn’t required more than a foot of parchment but when they started it required a lot of work and research to complete.

Defence Against the Dark Arts was their other disappointing subject. Quirrell stuttered so badly they could barely understand him and his classroom smelled overwhelmingly of garlic. Harry ended the class with a headache and no idea what they were supposed to have learnt. “The curse strikes again.” Ginny said as they left. “At least we’ll only have one year of him.”

The Friday of their first week, they managed to get the Great Hall for breakfast with out getting lost or waylaid by either Peeves or the twins and Hedwig arrived at breakfast with Harry’s first letter. He tore it open with open hand the other feeding Hedwig pieces of bacon.

> _Dear Harry, (it said, in an untidy scrawl)_   
>  _I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig._   
>  _Hagrid_

“It’s Hagrid.” Harry said with a broad grin. “He’s inviting me to come for tea this afternoon. I could ask if you could come to?” His eyes flicked down with the question and a slightly flush coloured his cheeks.

Ginny dug a pencil out of a pocket somewhere and handed it to him. “We’d love to go. Why do you send back a note saying you’d like to come and we’d love to met the man in so many of the twins stories.”

The twins preternatural ability to know when their names were begin taken in vain kicked in and they flashed a grin at Ginny before returning to their plotting with Lee. The colour on his cheeks deeper Harry wrote a quick reply and sent Hedwig back. Before the end of breakfast she returned with a note implying Hagrid thought it would be a good idea to get to know the newest Weasleys as soon as possible. So they headed off to their first potion’s class with the promise of tea with Hagrid to look forward too.

It was a good job they did. Snape was as bad as the twins had said. He praised the Slytherins, awarded them points constantly and ignored their pranks and bullying while deducting points and claiming the Gryffindors were “dunderheads”. Worse he seemed to have a particular hatred of Harry, calling on him to answer questions beyond the scope of their potions text or contained in other course books. When Neville added porcupine quills without taking the cauldron off the flame Harry was deducted a point for not stopping him.

It was a relief to escape from the dank dungeons and make their way across the grounds to Hagrid’s hut. The weather was right for it, an Indian summer day; the sky a vivid bright blue, the air still crisp in their lungs at 3 o’clock and the sun shining brightly down on to the green leaves of the trees and bushes.

Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the Forbidden Forest set in side a fenced garden containing a well tended vegetable garden and a chicken coop. A wooden rain water butt nestled under the thatched eaves by his front door, against the butt a crossbow and pair of galoshes lent.

The door Harry knocked on was thick with a large brass knocker in the shape of a boars head. Harry’s knock triggered frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks which caught Luna’s attention and drew her from her dreamy inspection of the Forbidden Forest to push herself forward. Hagrid’s voice rang out, “Back, Fang, back.”

He pulled the door open a crack letting them see his big hairy face, “Hang on,” he said obviously struggling to pull a dog out of the way. “Back, Fang.”

He opened the door fully and they pilled in, Luna and Ron first followed by Ginny, Hermione and Harry at a more cautious pace. The dog Hagrid had been holding back was an enormous black boarhound.

Once they were inside Hagrid pushed the door closed and released Fang, who bounded straight at Luna and Ron and started licking their faces. Smiling they dug their hands into his dense fur and petted him. Relieved that Fang was not as fierce as he looked or sounded Ginny, Harry and Hermione gathered around to stroke him and let him get used to them.

There was only one room in Hagrid’s house. A warm cosy place, there was an open fire over which a copper kettle was boiling in front of which was a scarred wood table and four aged but comfortable looking chairs, herbs, onions, bags of potatoes, pheasants and joints of meat hung from hooks on the ceiling and in one corner a massive bed covered in a brightly coloured patchwork quilt was partly hidden behind an ancient dresser and chest of draws.

“Make yourself at home,” Hagrid said, a thick west country burr.

“These are Ginny, Hermione, Luna and Ron.” Harry told Hagrid who was placing a massive teapot on the table and placing rock cakes on to a plate.

“Two more Weasleys and Xenophilius Lovegood’s daughter.” Hagrid said glancing at Ron and Ginny’s red hair and freckles and Luna’s dreamy face and dirty blonde hair. “I spend half my life chasing your twin brothers away from the forest. As bad as your dad and his friends, Harry.”

They nearly broke their teeth on the rock cakes but Hagrid seemed genuinely interested in their first week and occasionally intersected with tales of Ginny and Ron, Harry or Luna’s parents to their delight.

“Your dad was a mischief.” Hagrid said a big grin across his face, “As bad as the Weasley twins. Always pulling a prank he and his friends. Most of the time like the twins it was all good fun, directed at a large group catching themselves in it as often as not. Only with-“ He broke off.

“With who?” Harry asked his face bright and his rock cake dangling precariously from one hand as he crammed up against Ginny in their shared seat Fang drooling on their robes.

“It’s-“ Hagrid started then looked at Harry. “Your dad was a good man but he could be jealous. Your mum she was friends with Professor Snape and James went to far when pranking him. It’s not that he was bad just that he was a jealous brat sometimes but he grew up and out of that.” Hagrid refilled Harry’s tea cup. “Your mum had a temper if Lily found out about that James’, that the Marauders’ pranks weren’t all good fun then she’d flay a strip from them with her tongue and her wand.”

It was getting dark went they finally left, grins plastered to their faces. As they stood a lone piece of paper fluttered off the table to land on Fang’s back but neither they nor Hagrid paid any attention and Fang was sleeping comfortable under the table his tail beating a steady rhythm against the floor.

 

* * *

 

“It’s not that different from the Burrow.” Hermione mused the morning before their first flying lesson her left hand absently spinning her spoon through her porridge. The first few weeks at Hogwarts had passed in a dizzy happy blur of classes, homework, backfiring wands and getting lost. To be honest the backfiring were mostly Hermione and the twins who were equally poorly matched and the getting lost could be placed firmly at Luna and Harry’s feet.

“How so?” Harry asked.

After a pause Ginny answered, “Luna, Hermione and I still share a room.”

“I’m still the twins’ favourite test subject.” Ron added.

Ginny turned to glower at her brothers who raised their hands in surrender. “Pax” One twin said.

“We’ve been too busy trying to keep up in classes with these wands.” The other twin continued, he shook his wand causing the whole table to reflexively duck.

“Can’t understand it.” The first twin said once everyone sat back up. “They kind of worked last year.”

“Puberty.” Percy pulled the twins wands from their unresisting hands. “It changes your magic. Are they working at all?”

“Not even Lumos.” The twins said mournfully.

“Then it won’t matter if you don’t have them.” Percy told them, “Now I believe first years have their first flying lessons.” He gently hurried them out of the Great Hall.

“And Percy still tries to be our mum.” Hermione finished her train of thought as the left the castle.

Gryffindors and Slytherins had previously only shared potions classes to both their and their teachers relief so they had barely interacted and the expected grudges were not yet fully formed. Still they spilt along house boundaries with Neville and Daphne nominated to stand at the shared centre.

Madame Hooch's instructions seemed to expect a familiarity with broom flight or a natural aptitude. Sally-Anne, Millicent and Neville struggled to even bring their brooms to their hands. Hermione whispered the twins instructions over the summer to Dean standing next to her. Looking along the row Draco was quietly showing Millicent, Daphne exaggerating her movements next to Neville and Lavender gently guiding Sally-Anne. Once they all had their broomsticks hovering by their hands Madame Hooch told them to mount their brooms and strode up and down the row of first years correcting their grips and mounting with an air of furious disappointment that her commands had not been sufficient instruction.

She was glowering furiously once she was satisfied with them. "When I blow my whistle kick off the ground hard.” She said, “Keep your broom steady, rise a few feet and then come straight back down by leaning slightly forwards.”

Taking a deep breath everyone waited until her whistle sounded then kicked off. The old school brooms either didn’t seem to want to move, pulled to one side or jerked under their riders commands. In Neville’s case rather than hover 3ft above the ground it kept rising gaining speed as it rose; Neville’s pale scared face looking down at them until the broom was at about 30ft then the broom bucked once. His mouth open in silent horror Neville slipped and plummeted like a rock to land with a sickening crack in a crumbled heap.

Madame Hooch did not seem overly concerned about Neville’s broken wrist or about supervising her class telling them to stay where they were until she got back. Draco rolled his eyes at her and dismounted his broom encouraging Millicent to do the same. “Father has been after the Board of Governors to replace the brooms for years.” He said as the rest of the class dismounted. “I’ll write to him at lunch. Now he’s a governor this is sure to be enough reason.”

Daphne walked across the grass to a glass ball glinting in the autumn sun. “Is this Neville’s?” She asked holding it up so the Gryffindors could see it.

“It’s a remeberall.” Seamus spoke up, “His gran sent it to him this morning.”

“Well give it back to him once Madame Pomfrey releases him.” Daphne threw it to Seamus

 

* * *

When Neville hadn’t returned to Gryffindor tower after dinner Ron convinced the other four that they needed to go and find him. They were required by Percy’s watchful eye and the twin’s less watchful but shared protectiveness to wait until Percy had gone out on prefect rounds and Lee had distracted the twins with a new prank before sneaking out the portrait hole. They stumbled almost immediately upon Neville trying to sleep curled up on the stone floor.

“I forgot the password.” Neville admitted. “I’ve been waiting for someone to come by.”

They turn as a group to the portrait and groaned as they saw a blank canvas. Seconds later they heard Flitch grumbling. “Run.” Harry said grabbing the nearest hands to him and pulling them along.

The group tore through the hallways hearing Flitch’s groaning, Prefects and Peeves on their tails until they came to a locked door. They could hear Flitch coming closer and the beyond the door the corridor was a dead end. Pushing to the front Hermione muttered a spell under her breath and pushed the door open. “It was in one of Bills books.” She said at Ginny’s curious look.

They pressed up against the door holding it closed with there weight and catching their breaths until Ron opened his eyes. “Uh.” He gulped.

“A three headed dog.” Harry whispered.

“It’s a cerberus.” Luna breathed walking forwards, “They love children and music.” She offered her fist to each of the heads in turn then moved to stroke the giant dog. “They’re the gentlest dogs.”

Watching the cerberus drool on her the others came forward and offered willing hands to rub itchy spots and provide all the love a lonely cerberus could require.

It was quite late and the cerberus fast asleep when they left. “Someone hasn’t been taking proper care of him.” Luna said, “We will have to go back tomorrow.” She nodded once.

“Someone’s using it to guard something.” Ron muttered darkly.

“It’s a school!” Hermione’s exclamation was shrill. “If you need a THREE headed dog to guard something it shouldn’t be in a school.”

 

* * *

Luna, Ginny and Hermione shared a dorm with two other girls. Sally Anne was a shy child who was childhood friends with Hannah Abbot and rarely returned to their dorms from Hufflepuff before curfew. Lavender was a bubbly, chatty blonde who was knocked off centre by Luna's dreamy ignorance of Lavender's point of view, Ginny's tomboy nature and Hermione's quiet indifference. If she had shared with the Patil twins or Sue and Hannah they would have been close friends in hours but in Gryffindor tower she was growing quieter and stiller everyday drawing Percy Weasley's smothering concern. With childish empathy and insensitivity her Gryffindor year mates surrounded her trying to draw her in to their pick up football matches, homework groups and after curfew exploration of the castle.  
  
Her silence came to a head during charms on Halloween. Her once cheerful voice barely whispered the charm before her shoulders drooped. Her partner Ron blew, " You're not even trying. You act like you're so much better than us." he bellowed.  
  
She quivered slightly and began to cry. Luna slid from her desk and wrapped a slim arm around her shoulders whispering to her. Hermione turned to Ron. "Like you can talk! You've only tried once and set the feather on fire!"  
  
"Not all of us can be geniuses." Ron responded, "Honestly, it's no wonder your parents didn't want you" Hermione flew out the room tears pouring down her face. His normally cheerful face rigid with fury Professor Flitwick gave up on controlling the class and dismissed them early.

Ron didn’t seem to be too worried until they settled down to the Halloween feast with no Hermione. Then he began to fret his face so pale his freckles stood out and he pushed his food around his plate. His anxiety wasn’t helped by Ginny and Luna’s decision not to speak to him until he apologised to Hermione. When Professor Qurriell burst into the hall yelling about a troll he looked like he would faint.

“Perce.” He hissed, “Percy. Please Percy.” Ron said trying to catch his attention but Percy was busy with the unenviable task of herding the twins, their year mates and the second years. “Hermione doesn’t know. We’ve got to tell her.”

Seeing he wasn’t going to get any help from the prefects and the teachers had all left he sprinted from the room, Harry, Ginny and Luna barely managing to keep sight of him. They were still at the stairs when he disappeared into the bathroom Hermione was crying in.

“What’s that smell?” Harry asked.

“The troll.” Luna looked as pale as Ron had. “It’s coming this way.”

“Quick.” Ginny ran into the bathroom waiting until Harry and Luna were inside she slammed the door. “Coloportus.”

A thump rattled the door. “Oh blast. It’s trying to knock the door down.” Luna’s calm felt slightly absurd.

They huddled together at the back of the room. Ron still whispering apologies and vows that Hermione was one of his sisters and the Weasleys’ wanted her as the troll smashed the door open and began to lurch over to them.

Each step the troll took spread vibrations through the floor. Faces pale Ginny and Harry stood at the front of the group wands clutched tight in their hands. Ron pushed Hermione and Luna back stepping up in the middle behind Harry and Ginny his wand drawn.

They stood silent as the troll grew closer smashing sinks and stalls on his approach.

Voice shaking Harry spoke, “Wingardium Leviosa”

The troll’s club twitched in his great claw of a hand. “Join him!” Luna’s urgent voice broke the apprehensive silence. “We have to join him.”

“Remember what Mrs Weasley taught us.” Hermione said. “Raise the club and knock him back.”

As one Harry, Ginny and Ron’s voices cried out, “Wingardium Leviosa!” in the same moment Luna and Hermione joined them, “Ffwrdd!” The club rose above the troll’s head as it stumbled backwards mid step. Their wands dropped and the club crashed down on the troll’s head toppling it. Professors McGonagall and Snape arrived as the troll’s landing rattled the debris.

“What is going on here?” McGonagall’s stern voice broke the stunned silence.

“It’s my fault-“ Hermione and Ron spoke simultaneously.

“No it’s my fault.” Ron’s voice was a pale imitation of Mrs Weasley’s but it worked. “I called- I said something unforgivable about Hermione. She ran off crying and didn’t know about the troll. We tried to tell the prefects but they were busy.” His explanation halted.

“You are unbelievably lucky.” Professor McGonagall shook her head. “Come on with me. I’m sure your brothers are worried about you.”

 


	4. A Stone Capable of Bring Eternal Life

The events of Halloween might have been terrifying but they had one major effect. Sophie Barns, one of the 7th year Gryffindor prefects sat down with Percy and the 1st years and left them convinced that if they didn’t stop smothering Lavender or let her chose some of the games they played she would make detention with Snape seem blissful in comparison. Once they were all quivering under her glare she pulled Lavender from her seat and introduced her to the second year girls. The first years learnt to dread the sounds of 4 girls giggling in the corner.

The Gryffindor played their first quidditch match in November, everyone in the tower was very aware that the team captain Oliver Wood was unhappy with his team’s performance and it was clear why when the took to the air. The chasers were good keeping possession of the quaffle unless they were fouled, Oliver kept the rare attempts of the Slytherin team to score out but the Slytherin team didn’t seem to be trying to score goals. Instead their beaters focused on keeping the bludgers away from their seeker, powering the ball into the mass of chasers, not worrying if they hit their team or Gryffindor’s and keeping Fred and George busy.

Both Harry and Ginny kept spotting the snitch hanging out for most of the match just above Gryffindor seeker’s shoulder and occasionally doing a quick loop of the goal posts. It was a relief when Terence Higgs skimed the Gryffindor seeker’s shoulder and caught the snitch ending the game in Slytherin’s favour.

 

* * *

 

It was a shock to realise Christmas was so close when Professor McGonagall called Harry and Hermione into her office to discuss if they wanted to go to the Weasley’s for the holidays. Once the wide eyed disbelief and stammered protestations that they would be in the way were dealt with by a quick floo call from Mrs Weasley they found themselves taking the Express to their first real Christmas.

Mrs Weasly’s mothering nature had completely enveloped her two new Weasleys and she was in her element. Christmas passed in what felt like a blink of an eye leaving behind only warm memories of sitting in the main room watching Mrs Weasley’s knitting needles flicker as they knitted thick warm Weasley jumpers for everyone and she taught Hermione, Luna and Ginny to make knotty gloves, scarfs and hats; the sound of the wizarding wireless mixing with the rhythmic industrial noise of Mrs Weasley’s heavily enchanted old Singer sewing machine and the quiet murmurs of contented teenagers combining into the sound of home. Harry couldn’t imagine before Christmas that he would ever not want to go to Hogwarts but he didn’t want to leave the Burrow.

The best part from Harry and Hermione’s perspective was when Mr and Mrs Weasley took them aside. Comparing notes they found their conversation’s differed only in how the Ministry would allow the Weasleys to become responsible for them. In Harry’s case the Ministry would not allow him to be adopted so with his eagerly given permission the Weasleys had filed to become his guardians, both residential and legal. For Hermione it was a little more complicated and once she agreed required a full family conference, with Bill and Charlie joining them by a large Communication Mirror Bill had enchanted while practicing for his OWLs.

After her first bout of accidental magic her parents had arranged for her to be magically adopted but due to the war her adoption had fallen through and with the new laws passed after the war making adoption more difficult no one had been able to restart the process until now. By willingly taking her into their home the Weasleys had unintentionally reactivated the dormant magic removing the possibility of them merely being her guardians. As Bill put it, “Ministry willing we will soon have a new baby sister.”

The five of them returned to Hogwarts with a new Weasley jumper each, worn but serviceable fitting clothes for class and weekend intermixed with some new clothes made just for them. The love and care made Hermione, Luna and Harry glow with contentment that spread through Ginny and Ron making them see what they had in a from a warmer perspective.

Seeing Mrs Malfoy take aside Draco for making fun of their second hand clothes probably helped although it was a good thing the didn’t see her also take Mrs Weasley aside. Draco sloped on to the train, his face slightly pink. Seemingly forced he came to their carriage and began a stilted apology, “It was inappropriate of me to make assumptions about the state of your family’s finances or their ability to take care of you. In the future I will do my best to keep my thoughts to myself and consider the information available to me more fully.”

 

* * *

They returned to Hogwarts and the routine of classes. Gryffindor played a lackluster game against Hufflepuff who’s keeper was considerably better than Slytherin’s. They learnt every route from Gryffindor tower to the forbidden corridor in their continued quest to look after the Cerberus contained within but had heard no more about what the dog was guarding.

In Transfiguration, they each managed to turn the matchstick into a needle, or in Hermione’s case everything wooden she was touching into needles every time she tried for two weeks, and had moved on to applying the same theory on to other inanimate to inanimate transfigurations with Ginny and Harry joint first to achieve everything. In Charms, Seamus still set fires his first attempt at anything but everyone else was finding it easier. Neville was top of the class at Herbology. Potions had remained unpleasant but they were progressing with minimal melted cauldrons and points taken. Harry still felt sick every DADA lesson and they were counting down the days before Quirrell’s departure from the castle as no one in their year knew what they were supposed to have learnt and Quirrell seemed to be getting weaker and paler every lesson.

Hagrid’s weekly requests that they come to tea with him showed no signs of abating nor did his skill at cooking of improving but he would spend the afternoons telling Luna and Harry stories of their parents. One Friday after Christmas Ginny made a firm suggestion that they should bring Neville with them from now on saying only “Who did Bellatrix Lestrange torture?” when asked why. Mystified, the mad witch had after all tortured quite a few people, they none the less agreed and soon their Friday afternoon teas now involved stories of Neville’s parents.

Their weeks continued in this new arrangement growing closer to Neville until the afternoon Hagrid’s curtains were closed. When the door opened a wave of hot air escaped that almost knocked them of their feet despite being mid May and the first truly warm day of the year. Hagrid waved them hurriedly inside where they saw there in the fire a huge black egg.

“Please,” Luna begged, “tell me that isn’t what I think it is?”

Ron followed her gaze. “A dragon’s egg.”

“They’re a class A prohibited item.” Ginny’s freckles stood in stark contrast to her pale skin.

Looking equally scared Hermione stepped up to stand next to her. “It’s 5 years in Azkaban to even know one’s been illegally traded in the UK.”

Neville’s mind took a more practical route. “You live in a wooden house?”

“I won it of a fellow in the Hogshead.” Hagrid muttered shamefaced. “He was asking lots of questions about Fluffy.”

“Fluffy?” Harry remembered the twins tales of Hagrid’s pets. Normally vicious, venomous or some combination of the two treated like a loveable kitten by the massive groundskeeper.

“My cerberus.” Hagrid beamed. “He’s gentler than Fang drifts right of to sleep if you play him some music.”

“I guess you told this fellow at the Hogshead that too?” Hermione’s distrust was clear in her tone.

“Charlie!” Harry said to break the accusative turn. Seeing blank looks all round he elaborated, “Didn’t Mrs Weasley say Charlie was trying to get a job at the Welsh dragon reserve?”

“Of course.” Luna jumped on the balls of her toes at the thought of her favourite Weasley brother. “He’s been making lots of contacts in Wales and has been offered a job there replacing one of the older keepers in September.”

“If Lu writes to Charlie he’s sure to arrange for the egg to be taken to the reserve just for a chance to see LuLu!” Ron finished their thoughts. “Hermione.” Ron beckoned. Waiting for her to scowl at him and pull out a scrap of parchment and a pencil from her dress pocket and hand them to Luna.

Luna wrote with her normal deliberate strokes unhurried by Ron’s impatience. Finished she read it through before passing it to Ginny.

“Too obvious. Lose the second sentence.” Was Ginny’s verdict passing it to Hermione.

“I doesn’t make sense without.” Hermione mused. “Instead try ‘am having a wonderful time at Hogwarts and am eagerly looking forward to seeing you and Tonks at Easter.’ Subtler but still thinking of him.”

Luna took back the note and made the changes. “We’ll send it now.”

Charlie met them on the lake shore two nerve racking weeks later. “Little sister of mine.” He caught Luna spinning her with abandon before clasping her tight to his chest.

Once they were settled and twins and Percy had joined them he began to regal them with the tale of Norberta the Norwegian Ridgeback hatched one week previous in Hagrid’s wooden hut. “When I got LuLu’s letter I immediately contacted the Welsh reserve but they don’t have anyone better qualified to handle a Norwegian Ridgeback than Professor Kettleburn who as you know deputised Hagrid. The reserves specialising in Ridgebacks are severely understaffed and the only reserve with space and suited to a Ridgeback is the Romanian reserve. It took us every minute of the two weeks to prepare for a infant Ridgeback.

“Our team arrived last night to examine and contain the dragon before portkeying across to Romania. I got permission to tag along as an extra hand during containment as I was coming to England anyway.”

“Luna’s letter.” The twins asked in unison. “You mean they kept a dragon a secret.” They glowered accusingly at the quintet but were quickly silenced by their older brother’s disapproving hands on their shoulders.

 

* * *

Easter was less of a big family holiday than Christmas had been. Percy chose to stay at Hogwarts and study for his upcoming OWLs while Mr Weasley had to work. It was also less enjoyable than Christmas in the run up. Dean Thomas was morose and angry as the holiday approached breaking down on the last day of term to scream about missing his little sisters and mother. Professor McGonagall had quickly removed the other boys from the dorm and he was quieter after she left but didn’t seem any happier. Like the Christmas holidays, Luna’s father was expecting to be out of the country for the duration of the holidays which encompassed the anniversary of her mother’s death. The one bright spark was Charlie’s presence, he would be working at the Welsh reserve covering for an injured keeper but had promised to spend lots of time with them.

The morning of their return breakfast was interrupted by the clattering emission of a violet haired witch from the fire place. Mrs Weasley acted like this was a normal experience merely placing another plate on the table with the same movement that dispelled the soot and tidied the witch’s appearance. “Morning Nymphadora, here to meet Charlie?”

“And eat your delicious breakfast.” The witch replied with a smile. Sitting at the table she turned towards Harry and Hermione, “I’m Tonks, you must be Charlie’s new little sister and Harry.” She turned her nose into a snout, winked and turned her attention to her breakfast.

“Tonks’ is Charlie’s girlfriend.” Ginny explained in a sotto voice. “He’s mad for her.”

“Totally barmy.” Ron agreed, “but she’s alright for a girl.” He grinned as Hermione and Ginny threw their toast at him grabbing it out of the air to add to his own plate. “You’ve got to admit Tonks fits. And she’s nice. Not like the girls Bill dates.”

That seemed to be the verdict on Tonks. She was nice; funny, clumsy, besotted with Charlie but she fitted in the loud happiness of the Weasley home. She’d fallen over her feet rushing to Charlie when he arrived but that just ended with them tickling each other on the grass, giggling and dragging Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Luna and Ron down with them until Mrs Weasley humphed. She seemed to find having one of Charlie’s younger siblings around no impediment to kissing or something to object to, cheerfully engaging them in conversation or helping with homework.

Tonks and Charlie’s presence was welcome as Mr Weasley was distracted by the bill he was working on. Dinner table conversation often descended into discussions of exact modifications he was making to ensure sufficient support of the bill. To Harry and Hermione’s blank expressions he explained, “You are aware I work for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, the office has been invited to propose increased penalties for muggle baiting, an increased budget and restrictions on the use of muggle artifacts. The original law presented to the Wizengamot was supported by Albus Dumbledore but he didn’t manage to gather enough support either within his own faction or externally and the bill would have been rejected out right if Tiberius Ogden hadn’t raised a motion to reconsider the bill with major amendments. Each faction within the Wizengamot produced a report discussing their concerns with the bill. Dumbledore, who leads the Democrats, supported the bill as originally proposed but has removed his support publicly stating leaked amendments that have never have been considered as his reason. Ogden, as leader of the Liberals, had the most moderate objections to the bill and all of the amendments his faction proposed will be present in the new bill as they agree with the opinion of myself and my superior Director Bones. What we've leaked has been greeted positively by the Liberals and with significantly less objection by the Conservatives but we still aren’t confident in the bill passing on this reading so…” He broke off looking at them, “Don’t worry. The rest is just Ministry politics that Percy would be interested in but most people would rather avoid.” He finished his tea, kissed Mrs Weasley on the cheek and retreated to a book and the wireless in the living room.

 

* * *

Upon their return to Hogwarts exams spun closer seemingly spurred on by the spectre of unbidden knowledge. Not only was something valuable or powerful enough that it needed a cerberus to guard it hidden in the castle with someone conspiring to steal it but the thief knew how to get past the cerberus. The only reassurance they could gleam was that even You-Know-Who had been afraid of Dumbledore so while Dumbledore was in the castle the object was safe.

Their fears about the object were realised the morning after their last exam when they looked up to the head table and for the first time since Hagrid had won the egg Dumbledore was gone.

“He could be sick?” Neville offered.

“Or too busy for breakfast.” Hermione suggested.

“Or called to the Wizengamot to debate the first attempted adoption in 7 years.” Luna laid the Prophet down on the table open to a page glaring ‘Weasleys Press for First Adoption in 7 Years’ in smaller writing ‘Dumbledore declares “Adoption damages family ties”’ followed by ‘“Adoption of Muggleborns is a traditional and normal part of the Wizarding world” says Lord Malfoy’.

“Or he could be arguing about something that’s none of his business and preventing our family from growing in the way we want it to.” Ron agreed.

“While simultaneously needlessly endangering students.” Ginny attempted to sound like Percy. “Percy’s OWLs aren’t done yet and mum will kill the twins if they don’t do well in their exams.”

“So it’s just us.” Harry sighed.

“We could try telling Professor McGonagall.” Neville sounded unsure even as he posted the option.

“We ought to.” Hermione answered scanning the head table. “She’s not there. We’ll have to wait till her office hours.”

“Outside then.” Ron gathered a pitcher of juice and six glasses, “There’s no reason for us to remain inside on a glorious day.”

While the rest of first year and the second years relaxed in sultry June sun, the sextet found themselves unable to relax. They’d settle with a beloved book, start a pick up game or curl together and their minds would be drawn inexorably to the third floor corridor. It was a strange relief when the clock hands dragged themselves round to 3pm and Professor McGonagall’s office hours began,

They hurried up to McGonagall’s tower office and joined the queue of upper years waiting for her to answer their last minute transfiguration questions before their OWLs and NEWTs arrived. She was scowling and sweat slick when they were let in, her little office ripe with the smell of unwashed bodies and her desk teeming with rough piles of parchment.

“You’re going to the Weasleys this summer I believe, Mr Potter, Miss Lovegood?” She asked when they entered. After Luna and Harry nodded she continued, “You are content with this arrangement?’

“Yes” Luna answered.

A heartbeat latter Harry added, “It’s brilliant.”

The scowl slipped from Professor McGonagall’s face and suddenly she looked very sad. She blinked and her face went impassive, “Miss Granger, whatever the result of the Wizengamot sesion today Madame Entwhistle assures me that you will be returning to the Burrow.” A wide relieved smile broke out over Hermione’s face her hands automatically slipping into those nearest to her. “Now have I answered all your questions?”

“The object.” Ron began. “The thief knows how to get it and Dumbledore isn’t here.”

Shock rippled visibly through Professor McGonagall’s countenance; raising her brows, thinning her lips and tightening her hands in to claws that grasped at the edge of her desk. Finally in a strained voice she spoke, “I’m not sure how you know of the Stone but I assure you it is protected.”

“But he’ll hurt Fluffy.” Luna pleaded plaintively.

“Enough.” McGonagall’s quiet voice cut the room, “The stone is protected by more than just the cerberus. Go enjoy the last of the sunshine while it lasts or I’ll make you start your summer homework early.”

They scurried from the room, Ron’s quiet whisper, “Of course we won’t let anyone hurt the vicious three headed dog.” following them.

 

* * *

They pulled the rest of their year into their quiet anxious huddle that evening in the chilly corner they had marked as their own their first week. Sharing fraught glances as the common room slowly cleared and Dean, Seamus, Lavender and Sally Anne finally made their way to bed.

Only once the common room was silent did they slip from the room and glide down the familiar corridors to Fluffy’s room. The cavernous room echoed with the harmony of three rattling snores overwhelming the light notes trickling from the enchanted harp. Luna gasped and ran to Fluffy running her hands over its massive heads and digging her fingers through its fur.

“The doors open.” Neville’s eyes fell on the open trapdoor.

“Didn’t McGonagall say there were other protections?” Harry asked.

“What do you want to bet the thief found out how to get round them?” Ginny asked.

Hermione moaned. “Why? We’re just first years?”

“Lu, you staying here?” Ron fell into his normal role of leader. At Luna’s nod he open his mouth and closed it rapidly. Finally he nodded, “Right here’s how we’re going to do this. Harry you’re going to go down. Gin and me are gonna levitate you. Cast Lumos and tell us what you see.”

They arranged themselves around three sides of the trapdoor. “Ready.” Harry called out and jumped as Ginny and Rod cast. Slowly they lowered him down until he started speaking, “There’s a plant, it’s got vines and is moving away from light.”

“Devil’s Snare,” Neville said, “it likes damp and dark.”

“Start a fire.” Ron added.

“How?” Harry’s plaintive question floated up.

“Try Incendio with the wand movement up and then down like a flame.” Hermione said.

They could hear Harry desperately trying to cast the spell, then the whoosh as the spell worked and the fire caught. The sweet smell of the plant burning. After a while Harry called up, “It’s gone, I can see a door.”

“We’re going to lower you to the ground. Move far enough aside that Ginny can join you. Check out the room. If it’s clear we’ll join you. If not yell “stop”, come to the door and we’ll levitate you out.” Ron told them. He waited for Harry to move and waved Hermione forward. Together they lowered Ginny down.

There was an anxious pause in the room while the could hear nothing then Ginny’s voice rose, “It’s clear.”

“Right, Hermione and Neville will lower me down. We will lower Hermione down. Then Luna will remove the charm on that harp and Neville will go and get one of the Professors.” Ron told them.

Hermione was lowered down into the dark room below and they heard the music and Fluffy’s snores stop. They walked towards the door, Harry first, Ron and Ginny together with Hermione bring up the rear their wands held tight in their hands. Harry’s damp hand reached out and twisted the handle. To his surprise it swung open to reveal a high vaulted room filled with glittering birds.

Gingerly Harry stepped into the room. When nothing happened he walked across the room and pulled the on the door. “It’s locked!” He yelled back across to the rest.

They hurried across to join him. Hermione and Ginny pushing him aside to whisper spells Harry and Ron had never heard off. Harry turned and scanned the room, “They aren’t birds!” He whispered, “Their keys!” His eyes fell on the brooms stacked in the corner. “Guys we have to catch the key.”

The others turned around. “Merlin’s sweaty balls” Ron swore. He held his arms out trapping Ginny and Hermione at the door. “Me and Hermione with come at it from the sides. You and Ginny mirror each other, when one of you spots it call us and we’ll flank you. What kind of key is it Gin?”

“Big, old fashioned, simple key but ornately carved to hold the enchantment. Probably silver like the lock,” Ginny replied.

“Mount up.” Ron’s voice was grimly determined, “We better hope those brooms aren’t cursed.”

Luckily the weren’t and between Harry’s sharp eyes and Ron’s plan the key was crushed quickly against a wall in Ginny’s hand. She flew to the door fighting the key every inch. Once she’d managed to twist the lock open they flew through and found themselves hovering over a giant chess board with a door behind the white side.

“I think we’re supposed to play our way across.” Harry said dubiously.

“Why don’t we just fly across?” Ginny asked.

“Harry.” Ron nodded.

Slowly Harry began, staying just above the chess pieces to reduce the fall. There seemed to be nothing impeding his way. Once he was at the door he climbed out of reach of the white king and waved the rest across.

“The question is will they attack us when we try to open the door?” Hermione’s logical mind grasped the obvious solution.

“Which of you knows the most ways to unlock doors?” Ron asked, Ginny quickly pointed to Hermione. “The rest of us will line up in front of you. Combine, incendio with ffwordd and reducto.”

They lined up as per Ron’s orders and Hermione slipped her hand around the solid brass door knob. The moment her hand touched the knob the chess pieces attacked. She could hear Ginny, Harry and Ron’s voices mixing as the yelled spells and spells impacting as she desperately pushed the unlocked door open.

“Guys it’s open through.” She spun through and hovered above the door. Once the others hand rammed through she slammed the door. “Coloportus.”

“Oh God.” Harry moaned. They dropped to the ground and shook. When they finally opened their eyes they saw a dead troll.

“Sprout, Flitwick, McGonagall and I guess this one’s Quivering Quirrel.” Ginny said. “Who in Morgana’s name is next?”

“Snape and Dumbledore.” Hermione said marching to the empty archway. “People at Hogwarts the headmaster trusts.

The four of them stepped through the archway and behind them flames leaped up. “No.” Harry said.

Hermione’s eyes swept the chamber, “This is Snape’s” She picked up the parchment, “A riddle.”

“Can you solve it?” Ron asked.

“Give me some time.” Hermione replied walking up and down the line of potions. After the several long minutes she picked up two vials. This one sends you back through the purple flames, this one forward through the black.” She handed them to Ron.

Flicking the caps off he eyeballed the contents. “There’s enough for two each way if we’re careful. Harry, you and Gin will go forward. Me and Hermione will go back and hopefully meet the teachers heading this way.” He stepped forward and wrapped Ginny in a crushing embrace. “Don’t die.”

Hermione copied Ron’s actions with Harry squeezing the breath from his lungs. Harry found his eyes wet and he nodded taking the vial from Ginny. Swallowing the last little bit they stepped hand in hand through the flames.

In front of them was Quivering Quirrel. “Harry Potter. I knew you’d come.” Quirrel turned from the mirror. “My master told me you would know how to get the stone from this mirror.” He roughly dragged Harry by his robe in front of the mirror seeming not to notice Ginny. “What do you see?”

Harry looked, “My family; my parents, and two men who are familiar but I don't know. The Weasleys and Hermione, and Luna. And they're smiling and happy and proud of me.”

A high hissing voice came from behind Quirrel, “Let me speak to the boy.”

“You are too weak Master,” Quirrel pleaded.

“Not for this.” The voice said. Trembling Quirrel reached up and unwrapped his turban. Ginny gasped from her position in the corner and Quirrel turned his back to Harry. In the back of Quirrel’s head was a deformed snakelike face. “Where is the Stone boy?”

“The Stone?” Harry asked seeing Ginny finger her wand.

“Do you want to die like your snivelling parents boy?” The face asked and approached walking Harry back against the wall his hand outstretched. Harry tried to catch Ginny’s eyes and get his plan across. Had to hope it had worked as the wall bumped up against his shoulders and still Quirrell's master approached his hand raised.

As the hand touched Harry’s face it hurt and Quirrel cried out wrenching his arm away. “It burns master!”

“Hold him!” Quirrell's master cried out and grasped Harry’s face again.

As Harry cried out reaching up to hold Quirrel’s wrist Ginny acted, “Incendio!” She cried catching Quirrel’s robes on fire. Even as the world went black Harry fought to keep hold of Quirrel as he flailed.

 

 

 

 


	5. Hogwarts Comes Around the Corner

The end of August brought the Hogwarts letters triggering concern from the Weasley adults the moment they saw the book list. Lifting the deserted papers from the table Percy perused them before handing them to Charlie. “I’ll drop Defence, I’d rather take Herbology.” He said firmly.

“Two sets.” Charlie looked up interrupting his parents whispered argument. “ They can’t need all the books all the time.”

“They need a book each, Charlie.” Mr Weasley answered looking pained at the cost. Huddled together at the other end of the table Ginny, Harry, Hermione and Ron worried.

“Five sets then.” Charlie answered. “We don’t need six sets of Lockhart’s story books. I wouldn’t be objecting if it was six copies of his Guide to Household Pests or Compendium of Common Curses, Jinxes and Hexes. They’re well written, easily accessible and engaging books on subjects within the second and fourth year Defence syllabus.”

Charlie’s comments seemed to be the final word for Mrs Weasley sent Ron running across to the Rookery to collect Luna and her trunk before cracking a dozen eggs into a pan, passing Hermione a spoon to stir the oats and rich milk of their porridge and sending Percy, the twins, Harry and Ginny up to get all the trunks. Once the trunks were set in the living room she served vats of scrambled egg, toast and porridge to the table and left the pans soak while she checked what else would be needed.

Contentedly munching on their breakfasts she called them individually into the living room to try on school clothes and explain how this stain or tear got there. Writing down in separate columns what she needed to buy and what could be reused. She ended with a pile of clothes too small for Harry or Hermione to exchange with Mr Edgecomb and a long list of new books and robes that she would need to buy. Examining the twins and Hermione’s wands with their attached notes she declared that they would accompany her and Tonks and Charlie would mind Ginny, Harry, Luna and Ron.

Edgecomb’s Emporium hadn’t changed a bit in the year since they had last been there. Hermione and the twins lounged on the same battered cart with the same tired collie sleeping underneath waiting for Mrs Weasley to call them in.

Mr Edgecomb again unrolled his bundle of wands and this time called Hermione forward first. “I have some new vine wood wands little Miss Weasley. Give them a twirl.”

She felt through the wands getting none of the explosive results of last time but none of them felt even as right as the one she already had until the last wand, with a light slash she painted a rainbow across the wall. “This one I think sir.”

“A good choice Hermione,” Mr Edgecomb said, “Vine wood and dragon heartstring. Not the best match but lots better.” He took her old wand from Mrs Weasley and gestured for the twins to come up, “Now boys, your mother says puberty is wrecking havoc with your wands. So you don’t blow my shop up we will start with Alder and Rowan wands.” As he spoke the wands rearranged themselves, the light twisty vine wands replacing themselves with straight pale rowan and rich alder.

The twins arranged themselves a separate ends each picking up a wand waving it observing the often destructive results and replacing them on the table. When they had reached the other end of the row Mr Edgecomb coughed. “Twinned wands then.”

The wands rearranged themselves leaving only four. Two dark stubby ones that made Hermione uncomfortable and two long ghostly pale ones. As one the twins picked up the two ghostly ones and there was the light tinkling of broken glass around the shop. Replacing the wands their hands hovered over the short stubby ones before being withdrawn quickly. “They don’t feel right.” The twins said in unison.

“Blackthorn and Thestral tail hair, not right for you at all.” Mr Edgecomb agreed. “I’m afraid Molly I cannot match your sons. I can only suggest you make an appointment for them with Master Oakwood early. I will of course purchase their used wands off you.”

Mrs Weasley nodded looking pinched and herded them back to the Burrow, the new robes and books distributed between them. “You’ll all have to come to the Alleys then.” She said about half way home. “We’ll be able to get all but the wands and the Lockhart books from Beggars Way or Diurn Alley. Lockhart’s books will have to be Flourish & Blotts and the wands with be from Master Oakwood’s shop on Oblique Square.”

 

* * *

 

The knowledge that they would all be taken to the Alleys made them giddy and Mrs Weasley snappish. Finally exasperated at the fuss Mr Weasley sent them outside with instructions, “Don’t go further than the orchard and don’t come back until dusk.”

By some unspoken agreement the twins and Percy headed towards the pond herding Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Luna and Ron with them. Their cat greeted them by winding through their legs and tripping them over; when Percy sat with his book, quill and parchment their cat settled himself in Percy’s lap purring.

“Come here Ginny, Hermione, Luna.” Percy called opening the book. “This is an introduction to Ogham runes. You can use them to find a creature’s name.” They sat around him petting their cat. Interested, Harry found himself drifting away from the rough football game the twins and Ron were playing with no discernible sides or rules. “All you need is a piece of the creature,” he held up a tuft of their cat’s fur, “some water,” Luna cupped her hands in the pond and brought them out dripping. Percy dropped the tuft of fur into the small pool in her cupped hands, “a quill,” Hermione twisted the quill under their cat’s nose and then dipped it in pooled water. Ginny obviously guessing what was coming next smoothed the parchment over the ground, “some parchment and a will.” Hermione placed the quill over the parchment and released it. They sat studious interest on their faces watching the quill scratch out the angular runes in shimmering ink, sometimes orange, sometimes green.

When it was finished writing Luna opened her hands letting the remaining water splash on to the sun parched soil and the quill fell to its side. Opening the book to a table of rune meanings and placing it on the ground so that they could all see Percy began pointing out the letters, “Eite, the feather which marks the beginning,” he pointed to the first symbol, “Coll or Hazel, which is said k followed by ruis, the elder, said r and úr or heather said u, then iodhad, the yew, said i, and coll again followed by sail or willow which is said s and uath, the hawthorn, said h. Ailm or the white fur said a and then nion, the ash said n is followed by coll and sail and ended with eite thuathail, the reversed feather that marks the end.” His voice had a lecturing tone but he paused at each rune giving them a chance to look at it on the parchment and read it’s meaning in the book.

A pencil had emerged from Hermione’s pocket and she had written each sounded followed by its meaning down the page. “Kruikshanks,” she read down.

Ginny picked the pencil up, “Cruikshanks, as the scots would spell it or Crookshanks as we would.”

“What do you think?’ Luna asked him. He batted away her wet hands and twined around Harry’s legs until he stumbled and sat down to properly adore him. “Do you think we’ll be allowed to keep him?”

Ron’s squawk and the twins’s yell distracted them from their peaceful discussion of the history and modern uses of Ogham rules while the newly named Crookshanks demanded attention. When they looked up a small hairless creature with bat like ears was standing over Ron who lay sprawled on the ground, the twins unable to reach him. “Get mum and dad!” Percy ordered pushing Hermione and Luna to their feet before standing and attempting to approach the creature. “What are you doing here Elf?” he asked in a fair approximation of Professor McGonagall’s ‘I’m trying to keep my temper’ voice. “This our property you come here unbidden and harm the rightful inhabitants of this place. I demand you speak Elf!”

“I is Dobby.” The elf said his tone squeakily defiant, “And I is not having permission to tell yous who Master is! I’s to speak with Great Harry Potter Sir.”

Harry stepped forward to announce himself but Ginny and Percy grabbed him. “Speak what you must speak Elf and leave our property!” Percy responded.

“I’s to speak to the Great Harry Potter Sir!” Dobby yelled. In his agitation the twins were shoved further from Ron who writhed as though pained but couldn’t move away or make a sound.

“He is present Elf.” Mr Weasley said arriving with Charlie and Tonks close behind. “Speak what you must Elf and leave our property!”

Tonks slid round behind Dobby and pulled the twins around to the front. When she had finished the circuit she was panting, sweat dripping from her brow as though she had run a marathon, her hair flickering between todays neon blue and a mousy brown. Dobby glowered all the while. “I’s to speak to the Great Harry Potter Sir.” He said.

“Elf you will speak now or you will leave our property unspoken.” Mr Weasley said his wand out.

“The Great Harry Potter Sir must not return to Hogwarts.” Dobby said.

“Is that all Elf or do you have a reason?” Mr Weasley sounded unimpressed.

“If the Great Harry Potter Sir returns to Hogwarts he will be in mortal danger.” Dobby said trembling. “There is a plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”

“I said do you have a reason Elf!” Mr Weasley took a step closer to Dobby.

Dobby shook and bend to smash his head against the ground. “Dobby cannot say what plans.” He squeaked grudgingly. He smashed his head against the ground again, “Dobby cannot say who plans.” With a scowl he flicked his fingers flinging Ron towards Percy, Harry and Ginny. “They is dark plans. They is not about He Who Must Not Be Named.” With a crack he disappeared.

“In!” Mr Weasley said shooing them towards the house. “The kneazel can come too.”

Charlie picked up a moaning Ron and carried him back into the house like he was a much younger child.

Mrs Weasley took one look at Ron trying hard not to cry and cast a succession of spells at him before grabbing floo powder in to the fire and yelling, “St Mungo’s Emergency!” The fireplace glowed green and grew enough for Charlie to carry Ron through without jostling him and Mrs Weasley to follow behind.

It was a long evening. Tonks and Mr Weasley tried their best to cook but they were distracted and never the best cooks so dinner was bread and butter with fresh berries. No one could settle at anything and Mr Weasley didn’t comment when Harry and their cat headed to the girls room rather than the room he shared with Ron.

 

* * *

 

Ron was sitting pale but not as pained looking when they came down for breakfast. He didn’t eat much and tolerated being hugged by everyone even the twins.

Mr Weasley spent breakfast with his head in the fireplace arranging for Perkins to cover him at work and apologising to his boss. “I’m sorry Amelia,” They heard him say, “we had a house elf trespass within our wards last night. I need to arrange an emergency renewal of the wards, possibly a complete overhaul.”

“Not at all, Arthur.” Madame Bones’ clear voice responded. “I saw the report this morning. Let me know when the warders are coming around, the investigative team want to check the wards and entry point over.”

“Thanks, Ameila.” Mr Weasley said, his shoulders slumping with relief.

“Are your lot going to get their Lockhart books today?” Madame Bones asked a contemptuous twist to her voice with the words Lockhart books.

“Yes and new wands for the eldest three.” Mr Weasley answered.

“Try and get there early this morning.” Madam Bones advised, “He’s having a signing.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Mr Weasley said, Mrs Weasley chiming in from behind as he stood. “Are you already to go?”

They all nodded assent standing eagerly. Mrs Weasley looked them over with a critical eye, sending Luna upstairs for a longer dress and a robe for Ginny, the twins to put on a shirts that clashed less with their robes and Harry to, “change your trousers and bring those back down I’ll see what I can do about them.”

When the were all dressed to her approval she gathered them together around the fireplace, “We’ll be travelling by Floo,” She said. “Harry you’ll be travelling with Arthur, Hermione you’ll be with Percy, Luna with Charlie, Ron and Ginny you’re together as are you Fred and George.”

She took the round earthen jar from the fireplace, opened it and threw a pinch of green powder into the fire. The fire immediately roared with green flames. With a secure grip on Harry Mr Weasley stepped into the fire and called out, “Diagon Alley.”

Surprisingly the flames didn’t hurt although only slightly tickled and securely held by Mr Weasley Harry rather enjoyed the spinning and seeing the different fireplaces whizz by. They slowed and with a practiced step Mr Weasley drew them from the fireplace to stand in the Leaky Cauldron. He moved to a large table nearby indicating the Harry should sit. It seemed to take no time for Percy and Hermione to emerge, or Charlie and Luna to follow them. There was a slight delay before Ron and Ginny stepped a little less gracefully from the fireplace and then a longer delay before the twins tumbled cheerful out followed immediately after by Mrs Weasley.

Mrs Weasley was scowling in a way that suggested she wasn’t really as annoyed as she was trying to pretend. With firm hands she gathered them together so that Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Luna and Ron were caught inside a ring made of Mr and Mrs Weasley, Charlie, Percy and the twins. They were steered down the street at breakneck pace with only gangly Ron having any idea where they were going. It was a surprise to see themselves in Gringotts when the circle opened up for Mr Weasley pull Harry out. “Mind your manners Harry,” Mrs Weasley told him as he passed her, she absently tapped his head with her wand and he felt the familiar magic wash over him settling his hair and clothes.

Mr Weasley marched up to the counter. “I need to see someone about Mr Potter’s vault.”

“Do you?” The goblin at the desk asked. “So do lots of others.”

“I’m Arthur Weasley,” Mr Weasley said, “Mr Potter’s guardian.”

“Well now,” The goblin looked less disinterested, “If you and Mr Potter would lay wands on this parchment someone will help you.”

Mr Weasley tapped his wand once on the sheet of parchment the goblin had procured from a draw under the counter, with a nod he indicated that Harry should copy him. The moment Harry’s wand touched the parchment ink spread out across the parchment like a spiders web. Shocked Harry removed his wand; the ink wiggled and twisted until it had rearranged itself into letters.

‘Harry James Potter, born 31st July 1980, died -  
Parents: James Charles Potter, born 27th March 1960, died 31st October 1981  
Lily Potter (née Evans), born 30th January 1960, died 31st October 1981  
Guardians: Arthur Weasley, Born 6th February 1950, died -  
Molly Weasley (née Prewett), born 30th October 1949, died -‘ The parchment read.

The goblin nodded once at the sight and called another goblin forward, “Do you have Mr Potter’s key, Mr Weasley?” The new goblin asked. Harry thought he recognised him from last August.

“It was not supplied to us.” Mr Weasley said his voice slightly acidic. He refused to say more until they were led in to a austere meeting room. “I will require a current statement for Mr Potter’s vault along with a list of all transfers made since the 31st October 1981, Griphook.” He said as soon as they were seated on the hard high backed chairs. “We will not be pay for ordinary accepted service.”

Griphook bared his teeth, “A suitable guardian at last.” He said. He went to the door and barked out harsh clattering constants. In very little time a bundle of scrolls were shoved into his hands which he promptly dropped in front of Mr Weasley. “I will take your wife to your vault,” he said. “When I return we will speak of Mr Potter’s finances.”

The parchments full of numbers and names Harry didn’t recognise were dull and the room bare of anything but a tall table and the chairs. Harry occupied himself spinning his wand and making it shed multicoloured sparks into the air while Mr Weasley hummed and took notes.

It seemed to take a very long time for Griphook to return and settle himself in a chair. “There will be no transfers from Mr Potter’s account accept his Hogwart’s tuition and the 5 galleons a year guardian stipend stipulated by the ministry until he is 17.” Mr Weasley began.

“Biannual now he’s over eleven,” Griphook interrupted.

“That’s acceptable.” Mr Weasley replied continuing, “You will withdraw all keys currently issued and issue a new key to myself to hold until Mr Potter’s majority. You will investigate who authorised the payments made from Mr Potter’s account.”

“Withdrawing the keys will be 3 sickles per key and the new one 5 sickles,” Griphook said. “The investigation will be free of charge pending confirmation of who’s approval was used. Full costs to be deducted from Mr Potter’s account if the authorisation was legal.”

“3 sickles for the new key and a fixed cost of 1 galleon for the destruction of existing keys.” Mr Weasley countered. He waited for Griphook to nod before continuing, “A set fee of 25 galleons for the investigation whether the approval was legal or not with 20% of the recoverable funds going to Gringotts.”

Griphook nodded eagerly his quill streaming across the parchment in front of him. Once finished he handed them to Mr Weasley who made a few changes and returned them signed to Griphook. “You can collect the key tomorrow. Pleasure doing business with you, Arthur. The warding team will be at the Burrow at three pm.”

Mr Weasley waited until they had left the bank before explaining. “Griphook and I both knew some of the transfers where legitimate and some where not. By agreeing a fixed cost and a portion of the recovered funds you make it profitable for him investigate the people who stole from you. Otherwise it would have been more profitable to look at the obviously legitimate transfers such as your fees and school equipment and declare that all the transfers were legitimate.”

Harry saw Hermione and Ginny nodding thoughtfully next to him and decided if he ever needed to deal with Gringotts he’d take Mr Weasley or one of the girls.


End file.
